New Antioch
New Antioch is the largest settlement on Berkmann III, with over seventy thousand inhabitants. The city is situated in a steep canyon, starting at the canyon floor and rising over four hundred and fifty meters in the air to the canyon's mouth. With trade and integration with the Empire slowly recovering, that number is increasing every year as more Imperial citizens decide to call Berkmann III home. Since the involvement of the Trilliant Ring, High Church, and House Crux over the past 30 years the small town has grown into the city it is today. The involvement of offworlders has increased tension between the multi-religious and anarchistic locals and the imperial powers and those allied to them. A growing rift in wealth, religious differences, and a loss of independence and identity have contributed to many locals seeing the offworlders as interlopers. Just outside the city, a massive new spaceport - Port Surat - has been constructed and is being expanded. New access to Berkmann III brings more Imperial influence and has driven many locals to consider more radical ways to stem the tide. Weather & Geography Like many of the communities on Berkmann III, the current settlement is situated within a canyon which winds through the landscape, itself atop a series of eroded caverns. Built above and into the canyon’s sides, the city's upper structures are exposed to significant weather conditions. However, the Trilliant Ring utilizes forcefield technologies to protect that vital infrastructure - similar to those engineered for Marquise’s Tourmaline Towers. The city's location is very near to the equator, making the city ideal for a facility located below a geostationary satellite. Demographics Prior to the arrival of the Trilliant Ring in New Antioch, the settlement was a sizable parish of several thousand inhabitants. The city has rapidly grown since agreeing to allow Trilliant involvement. Over the past thirty years it has grown into a well populated settlement of 70,000 with most growth coming from integrating locals from other parishes and to a much smaller degree the Trilliant Ring bringing in workers from off world. The vast majority - about three quarters - of the population are continental migrants who relocated to New Antioch. The rest of the population is split roughly in half between the original inhabitants and offworlders. Many of the newcomers were attracted to the settlement with the promise of economic security, medical care, and better living conditions. However an almost equally large contingent came due to the collapse of vital trade, with entire parishes of skilled workers relocating to New Antioch. Most of the newcomers are first or second generation New Antiochians, while the start of New Antioch’s third generation is being born now. Religion New Antioch is difficult to survey due to their anarchist nature. However, the High Church has put substantial effort into gaining insight into the population’s beliefs. Recent High Church studies from 3191 show that under a third of New Antioch subscribes to the High Church of Messiah-as-Emperor, meanwhile around two thirds of the population subscribe to one of the common beliefs on the planet (Devotionism, Particularism, Majorism, or the Unity movement; see here). Almost all offworlders are members of the High Church of Messiah-as-Emperor, while most locals are members of the various fractious Devotionist, Particularist, or Majorist sects. The Church of Humanity, Repentant was also revealed to have a small and growing presence in the city, based around Peace House in the Diocese. Smaller parishes with adherents that share CHR's major tenets can be found in the surrounding area as well. Followers of the Repentant Church can often be found preaching in public squares and on street corners, taking on charitable works in Feverings, and spreading news of the corrupting influence of the Empire. They have been attempting to organize a united movement among the parishes to reject and expel the Imperial presence from Berkmann III. However, with the exception of Peace House, their activities are very isolated and lack organized support from parishes within the city. They also face stiff opposition not only from the Imperial forces in New Antioch, but also from Religious Sentry Organisations and criminals alike. While the CHR is convinced it can gain ground in the current political climate, its recent successes have attracted attention and resistance from the Imperial factions. Politics There is little data on the political affiliations of the population, however it is clear that there is a large proportion of the population that is associated with the Reunification movement. In fact New Antioch has become the de facto headquarters of the movement on Berkmann III. At least a third of the non-offworlder population subscribes to the movement. This movement has been embraced by the High Church for its pro-Imperial overtones and its members’ desire for reintegration. Government To say there is a government of New Antioch is inaccurate. Almost all services are provided by the Trilliant Ring or High Church, through the city's "Mayor”. While the local Imperials support the Mayor’s official role, many of the more anarchist-leaning residents don’t recognize this position’s legal authority. Instead, they treat the Mayor as a public intermediary between the people of New Antioch and the local Trilliant management or the High Church on Berkmann III. In truth, the city's public services are largely managed by the Trilliant Ring’s Operations Division stationed in the city. Despite this, a majority of the city’s inhabitants tend to organise their own communities and leaders. The internal community divisions of New Antioch reflect religious differences. Due to this, the city is spotted with meeting houses for larger Devotionist, Particularist, and Majorist movements. These meeting houses tend to be the homes of prominent members of these groups and function as places for worship and other religious communal activities. Much of how the city’s people actually organize themselves is decided in these community centers. Economy The economy of New Antioch is growing at an accelerated pace due to investment from the Trilliant Ring and population growth from absorbing surrounding parishes. The largest sources of employment in the city are the Trilliant Logistics Center and the nearby Port Surat, also operated by Trilliant. Both facilities are built on the plateau above the canyon and dwarf the size of New Antioch itself. Combined, they directly employ approximately half of New Antioch’s population. The rest of the working population is engaged in related fields of work, such as directly supporting New Antioch’s population and infrastructure, or in the various service occupations created by Trilliant. While the nature of the city’s economy is largely being driven by Trilliant, most locals still maintain traditional anarchic structures. In these structures individual wealth comes behind family wealth and again both are far behind communal wealth. Imperial credits are normally pooled by parishes and used by the community rather than individuals. Decisions on what to spend the pooled credits on are made at meeting houses and families or individuals petition the community for things they need (or more rarely, things they want). Those who break rank and focus on their own wealth can end up being shunned by the community, although some manage to maintain good relations with their parish despite their break with tradition. Trilliant Logistic Center The Trilliant shipping and logistics facility located in New Antioch, referred to as the Catalogue Symphonic, is the principal employer of the city. Created by the Trilliant Ring as a sorting and distribution center for all goods heading to the core systems, the facility was established on Berkmann III to make use of local labor. Thus, the people of New Antioch are essential to the Catalogue's operations. The Catalogue employs workers in a variety of tasks, compensating them commensurate to the depth of skill required. An example of one of the most highly paid jobs being the “Song Suits”, as the locals call them, that require skilled operation of power exosuits for the loading of cargo containers and the ability to listen to and follow instructions in the form of musical notes. Below that are the general maintenance workers that keep the facility free of the constant dust accumulation brought in by the storms and make sure all the infrastructure of the Catalogue continues running. The lowest paid workers are those that perform simple mechanical operations, such as tram line and lift technicians. These are fields that allow little in the way of creative input. Recently there have been disturbances at the Catalogue and various Trilliant supervised projects in the city. As it is a vital link in their supply chain, these troubles have caused Trilliant to tighten security and require more vigorous hiring standards, such as the vouchsafe of a current employee. This has led to tension in the city as immigration there is no longer a guarantee of employment and livelihood. Food and Water New Antioch is lucky enough to be surrounded by several large aquifers. These are currently used as a community asset by mechanical engineers who work to monitor reserves and local water prospectors who seek to secure future supplies for both drinking water and agricultural needs. Due to their vital work, water prospectors are well respected in the city, and prospecting is a highly prized skill. Prospectors typically use refurbished and repurposed technology from before the Imperial Diaspora, which allows individuals to find and extract water without assistance. Meanwhile, the Trilliant Ring has been putting pressure on the locals to install modernized water extraction systems that operate on a large scale. These would provide much more water for the city, but locals are leery of giving a corporation unfettered access to the resources they need to survive. New Antioch's farmers work out of the bottom of the canyon, where the original settlement’s farms were. Large cave systems have been eroded or carved out beneath the city to make additional room to feed the growing population. In these caverns the main produce grown are those crops which require little sunlight. The vast majority of the water harvested for New Antioch goes to these farms. Complementing the infrastructure within the city, there is an incredibly sparse network of moisture farms, ranches, and drover roads surrounding New Antioch - stretching farther than the eye can see. This network is slowly expanding as the city does. Dug into the surface and with storm resistant roofing, homes, livestock pens, and other living and work areas form a semi-subterranean complex at these farms and ranches. Drover roads often have stops (known as drover dens) where natural caves have been converted to temporary shelters and living areas. The drover roads all lead back to New Antioch. Ranchers and drovers supply the city with fresh meat. Depending on the supplier this tends to be larger reptiles like the Saurochs or shipments of fresh Rovgara meat and eggs. Beetle Ranches Nearer to the city you might find ranches given over to raising Traveler Beetles for competing in races. Compared to the far older looking Sauroch ranches and drovers dens, these look very modern. They manage breeding, raising and training of Traveler Beetles to maximize their ability to compete in “The Classic”. These ranches are split into two sets: those contracted to support particular racers and ranches that auction their stock to sponsors and competitors. Mineral Resources New Antioch has become reliant on the importing of mineral resources from several mining settlements. Some of these were present before New Antioch’s expansion but some have sprung up from the rediscovery of old abandoned Auto-Mines. These mining settlements are independent of New Antioch but due to the lucrative trade possible from selling their resources to the city, they have grown significantly and become heavily reliant on their trade with the city. Impact of the Trilliant Ring The Trilliant Ring has been buying water from the local community managers to supply drinking water to their workforce. In conjunction with the wages of labourers working for Trilliant, this has resulted in a significant amount of inflation over the last 30 years. Most people not already established in New Antioch are unable to afford the services that Trilliant offers its own employees. This has significantly eroded the quality of life that locals can afford. Many are forced to either seek employment with the Trilliant Ring, or rely on the community support of the various religious denominations. Currently, the Trilliant Ring’s infrastructure projects require a lot of labourers, and their needs are only just being met. The primary limiting factor is the available water supply. The Trilliant Ring has made a proposal to supplement the local water source with a new, deep aquifer previously unreachable without Trilliant Ring technology. However, this proposal is being met with resistance and consternation by the local community. Locals view the traditional water sources as both an assurance of their current standing and as vital income for their community. Many believe the upgrade will undermine the Trilliant Ring’s dependence on the local community. They argue that this will lead to Trilliant Ring claiming ownership over the water supply, or significantly lowering the price the Trilliant Ring is willing to pay for water. While the Mayor and officials from the High Church have prevented hostile actions from being taken, tensions around this issue are still high. Infrastructure Much of New Antioch’s infrastructure is newly built and established over the past 30 years by the Trilliant Ring. This gives parts of the city a vibrant and overly pristine look, in stark contrast to the old and constantly refurbished look of the local technology. The local population and their anarchic ways tend not to have invested heavily in city-building projects. However, there is another reason New Antioch has relatively light infrastructure. The Canyon where new Antioch is built has large systems of salt caves and eroded caverns. While this makes it much easier to prospect for water and raw materials for construction, it also means that most structures have to be built out of lighter, advanced materials, or scaffolded along the sides of canyon walls. Access to clean water has made it much easier to support a higher population density and certain industrial projects, but make certain structures impossible to include in the city. Notably, Port Surat and its massive spaceport is located well outside the city limits for structural considerations. Levels New Antioch can be divided into six levels. These levels aren’t individual floors, but groupings of multiple floors. When the town began to expand it did so slowly upwards towards the canyon rim, thus the newest and most maintained sections of the city are near the top. These levels are - from bottom to top - Dark Farms, Feverings (Foundations), Old Antioch, the Diocese, the Arches, and the Spires which sits both within and without the canyon. Dark Farms The Dark Farms can be found in a series of hollows beneath the city and tunneled out of the rocky crags behind New Antioch’s canyon walls. It also includes the mucky base of the canyon, hidden beneath the porous superstructure of Feverings (see below), and the river which flows through it. The name of the Dark Farms is both a reference to the darkness at the bottom of the city and within the farms themselves. These are a network of caves and dwellings for the farmers that run deep into the canyon stone. The farms are unlit and damp caverns, making them appear more like mines than traditional farms. Pale, artificial lighting is used in those areas that grow microgreens or other crops requiring a small amount of light. However the largest crop grown are the varieties of Brothshrooms that form a staple of the typical New Antiochian diet. Some farmers also maintain densely packed pens of Rovgara for meat and eggs. Those traveling or working in the caves beneath the city must utilise artificial light or be unable to see much more than the far off glimmer and wisps of light filtering in through the Feverings. Most farmers have an array of lights outside the entrances to their farms and homes, giving some basic illumination along the level. The darkness has also led to a growing number of scavenging animals making their home here, including a large number of Berkmann Leatherbacks. Some farmers even claim to have seen what they believe to be Canyon Raptors lurking in the crevasses of the level. Pest control, as such, is a daily chore to ensure that the vital food supplies are not compromised. The Riverworks The Riverworks resides at the bottom of the canyon, below Feverings and spanning the width of the canyon, even across its river. This processing plant is owned by a local family that supplies the city with foodstuffs. The facility is efficient in its appearance. Grav trucks are regularly sent out to collect from farmers, who receive credits for their produce and livestock. The Riverworks cuts deep into both sides of the Canyon and uses the space between as a receiving and preliminary processing area. One side is dedicated to the processing of plant produce, the other livestock. Due to the fast turnover of both, it is always busy. Processed food is loaded onto grav lifts and taken to an adjoined storage area in Feverings before it heads out to be sold to the public. A large warehousing unit is connected to the Riverworks in the Feverings above. This facility is accessible from all sides, as it juts across the Canyon, linked by girders, walkways and bridges. This warehouse stores all foodstuffs ready for distribution across New Antioch. The Restitutor This facility was built by the Trilliant Ring, due to a lack of local expertise concerning waste treatment on a large scale. The Restitutor turns most of the city’s waste into useful material for local industry or repurposes it into disposable products to reduce further waste. A symptom of the lack of large settlements over the anarchic history of Berkmann is that they are not used to dealing with a typical Imperial style economy where goods are used and disposed. This led to waste piling up in the city and angry (and occasionally violent) protests from locals until the Restitutor was built. Overflows before construction of this facility have caused some damage and contamination to the local farms. Other Locations in Dark Farms * Cobre’s: A place to go when you can’t get work elsewhere, sent out on dangerous journeys deep into the caves beneath New Antioch. * Dakku’s Diggers: A group of miners who expand and reinforce the Dark Farms’s cave systems. * Kurohikari: A small dark farm that grows experimental fungi instead of Brothshrooms and sells them throughout the city. * Richter’s Regret: An outpost for beat-cops that is considered the most boring job you can be given in the city. * Sweetwater: A large dark farm ruined by toxic spill from the days before the restitutor, now infested with a pack of Leatherbacks. Feverings (Foundations) The infrastructure that keeps the city running is operated from Feverings. It is a massive porous superstructure of piping, ductworks, catwalks, and small makeshift bridges that spans the base of the canyon. Most of the level is given over to warehouses, processing, and utilities. The city’s water, food, and goods all flow through this level before they go where they are needed. The floors here are not well lit, the level is not designed for people to live on. Despite this, those who have fallen between the cracks of society make their home here. Shanty homes are hidden in the dark recesses of the level. Stolen food, water, and supplies form the basis of survival here. Avoiding the patrols of Trilliant Security is also necessary, as they seek to maintain the integrity of the city’s vital functions. The industry of Feverings has changed over the city’s lifetime, from small workshops serving limited roles to multi-floor factories that are hoping to expand their reach via Trilliant’s economic expansions on the planet. These factories owned by local families ensure that the city is well supplied with all manner of goods. Those locals employed in these factories work long hours in challenging conditions and many fall ill. This has caused the original name of Foundations to be almost completely supplanted by the colloquialism of Feverings. If it weren’t for the work of the High Church’s Halls of Charity on the level above the factories wouldn’t be able to operate. As an infrastructure hub, the Feverings is well connected to other sections of the city. Large, industrial Grav Lifts connect nearby farms, warehouses, and factories to logistics stations in Old Antioch. Most notably, these stations are connected along the main Grav Lines which carry railcars and connect to Santiago Station above. They ensure that food, materials and goods are accessible and delivered throughout New Antioch. Other Locations in Feverings * The Aquacenter: A Trilliant Ring water plant, soon to be inadequate for the growing size of the city. Worked by functionaries and highly secure. * Doro’s Place: A food stand run by the Doro family that provides cheap and fast food for workers before and after their shifts. * Ishitsumi Warehouse: A warehouse that emits strange noises at night. Smugglers related to the PIB use it as a base of operations. * Kazuku Garage: A well known workshop that repairs and makes grav vehicles from salvage for sale in Old Antioch and the Diocese. * Plata Factory: The largest factory in the Feverings, owned by the Plata family. It makes home goods for most of the city. Old Antioch What is now one level in a much greater city used to be the bustling heart of New Antioch. Prior to the Trilliant Ring’s involvement with the settlement, this was the highest section of the city. The level, built up along the canyon walls, is known by the moniker “Old Antioch” in reference to its heritage. While the Feverings cover over the entire base of the canyon, Old Antioch has an open-air chasm separating one side of the canyon city from the other - save for several bridges and crossings. Now the original buildings of the town are run down and its origins only noticeable to the original inhabitants and their descendants. This feeling is reinforced by the shadowy lighting on the level, receiving very little direct sunlight. The level has been expanded - largely to add more residences - or renovated where religious buildings are concerned. The city has largely built up around “Old” Antioch, meaning its residents face increasing pressure to integrate with the rest of the city. This is where the two influences of the city really clash. Many of the city’s older locals reside in Old Antioch. While some are attached to the ancient feel of the canyon city, others cannot afford to relocate. While somewhat destitute, the level certainly has its character. Religious symbols have been carved into wall casings or graffitied onto the sides of buildings. Records of refugee stories and pieces of scripture have been made in olden markings and etchings in the canyon walls. Old Antioch feels alive with the history of generations from Berkmann III’s past. By tradition, locals of Old Antioch hang small crystalline wind chimes outside their residences. These can be seen dotting the chasm that splits Old Antioch and throughout its numerous walkways. They are often plucked by passersby for good luck. While wind rarely makes it this far down in the canyon, wind in the canyon is a portent of an oncoming storm. Large dust storms - named Berkmann III#Geography - rage across the surface, whipping up sand and rock and making overland travel dangerous. These chimes, while religious in origin, have saved many lives by warning locals of oncoming storms. Hall of Union The Hall of Union is a massive prayer hall and community center of the High Church of Emperox-as-Messiah. This structure not only spans the entire width of the canyon, but also rises over two levels of the city. The Hall of Union’s base is located in Old Antioch and its upper floors stretch into the Diocese above. In addition to being a place of prayer, many meetings of the church faithful and town halls are conducted in the Hall of Union. The city’s Mayor often speaks from its stages as they try to reach more of the city’s population. Daily prayers, rites, marriages, and ceremonies are held in its halls and its sermons can often be heard echoing into the city proper. The High Church is constantly seeking to reform local residents to the Imperial Faith, and built this mighty prayer house atop Old Antioch. While it was originally designed to be an impressive monument that towers above the city, its height has been supplanted by the Arches and the Spires. At one end of the Hall of Union, a Calling Chamber has been hollowed out of the stone of the canyon wall, with echoing tunnels carved through the rock. From here, the sounds and calls to prayer are amplified and can be heard through several segments of the city. At the other end, the Hall of Union opens up to face the wall of the canyon and acts as an open-air public square and garden. This side of the building faces the Convent of Virtue and acts as a thoroughfare for residents walking along the canyon walls. Colorful flowers decorate this otherwise rocky space, tended to by the clergy. Convent of Virtue The convent is adjacent to the main courtyard on one end of the Hall of Union and takes up several floors on the level. It is an expansive structure carved purely from the canyon face and stone. The outside has been carved into intricate designs by locals over the decades, each new generation adding to it. Recent years have seen locals add more complicated architecture to the exterior of the convent increasing its grandeur. The largest section of the convent is the Halls of Charity which functions largely as a hospital operated by the High Church. This area provides treatments and medical care to locals. Additional parts of the Convent include: * the Room of Wisdom, where local children are taught and informed on matters of faith; * the Shrine of Propriety, a large circular shrine to local culture and history with offerings and donations littered about; * the Confessional of Justice, where locals inform the Church about local crimes against the community; * the Caves of Fortitude, where the faithful carve away with small tools to expand the Convent deeper; and, * the Court of Integrity, Pulpit of Hope, Chamber of Temperance, Hallway of Diligence, and Chapel of Faith. Other Locations in Old Antioch * Antifila: A semi-abandoned part of Old Antioch home to an outspoken group of anarchists - known for a particularly violent protest in the past. * The Arx: The largest metting house in the city. Residents from across Old Antioch meet here to discuss communal decisions and religious matters. * Carl’s Bar: A bar for the locals of Old Antioch where they come to celebrate local events and meet up after work. * The Caves: Ancient and complex cave systems hidden in Old Antioch, unknown to most except the oldest residents. * GeeVee’s: A big general store that comes across more like a warehouse. run by one of the oldest members of New Antioch: Grandpa Vega. The Diocese The majority of New Antioch’s population lives in the Diocese, especially workers (local or offworlder) employed by the Trilliant Ring. The light here is almost always a soft sunny shade, many of the buildings on these floors are designed to reflect light down to brighten squares and streets. This part of the city tends to be more developed, with housing of various quality - most of it occupied by Trilliant’s locally employed population or lower class offworlders. The spires, roofs, and upper floors of the Hall of Union stick up through the center of the level and almost reach its top. The Diocese is divided along religious lines. Most neighbourhood blocks were built to house parishes as they immigrated to the city and as such the level is socially segregated. Depending on the faith of the individual, many parts of the Diocese would be considered areas dangerous to visit. Additionally neighbourhoods are divided along lines concerning opinion of Imperial integration, a topic of much debate and in some cases violence. Neighbourhoods often have their own markets with stores and services being on offer. The only parts of the level that are largely free from this are the main streets that overlook the levels below. A recurrent problem of the Diocese has been the development of religious radicals patrolling neighborhoods, claiming to be protecting their neighbors from threats of oppression. These groups, such as the pro-Imperial “Preachers”, the Crown Parish’s “Knights“, or Kibo Square’s “Hopefuls”, have made it their mission to canvas the level to encourage conversion and, depending on their views, imperial integration or resistance. While this has largely led to shouting matches when conflict has occurred, tensions have escalated to what are in effect turf wars, occasionally large fights and even murders of members of these organisations. Most of this is frowned upon by residents of the Diocese, but many also support the formation of their own religion’s sentry organisation; often claiming it is necessary to protect the local community. The melange of different architectural techniques and home styles make the region look like a disorganized jumble of people and place, although the home are of reasonable quality and all tend to incorporate religious symbolism. The housing here is largely apartments, all sized to house the average Berkmann family, with a few semi-detached dwellings for those who are well off but not quite well off enough to move up a level. At the far end of the level is the Grav Train Station, where the settlement’s train takes goods and workers to Port Surat. Easy access to incoming supplies and transportation, as well as newly built infrastructure give it a more polished appearance than the rest of the city. While it is a working-class neighbourhood, offworld employees of the Trilliant Ring tend to be well compensated for their work around New Antioch. The influx of well-paid workers has also opened up the area to more general commerce, and many markets. Santiago Station Named after a historic pilgrimage route and saint, Santiago Station is the primary transportation hub for both the Diocese and New Antioch. This grav train station is carved into the rocky wall, halfway up the height of the canyon. Santiago Station’s grav lines are dual purpose, connecting several main access points in the city. They not only move people throughout the city and act as public transportation, they also act as industrial lines, moving shipments of goods and raw materials to construction sites. This facility is not very busy by core world standards. However, residents arriving from offworld, workers moving to and from construction sites, and regular food and material shipments keep the station bustling and active. Public transit lifts at the station continue upwards to the surface, allowing travelers to directly access the Berkmann Hippodrome, race tracks, and chariot-grounds for entertainment. Most importantly, this station serves as one end of the grav train line which stretches through the Arches and towards Port Surat. For those who cannot afford private or personal transportation, the station is often the primary entrance to New Antioch. Ascending and descending routes and stops along the city give residents easy access to many of the cities neighborhoods which normally require hours of hiking to access. Industrial grav lifts reach down into the Feverings near several major warehouses, allowing goods, produce, and livestock to be easily shipped in and out. Lines from the station also connect to the Trilliant Logistics Center above the city and Port Surat outside the city limits. Both of these areas include major construction zones which are supplied by incoming shipments to New Antioch. As a transportation hub, the area around Santiago Station has become highly developed, including a number of shops and venues. Markets and grocers, especially those catering to New Antioch locals, have popped up around the area and given it a uniquely Berkmann character. Even the name of the station refers to an old pilgrimage route, with scallop-shell markings denoting major stops along its path. While the reason these markings are relevant has long since faded from memory, residents of the city insist on following the tradition. Peace House Located near Santiago Station, the Peace House is a melting pot of anarcho-pacifists from all different religious affiliations, including a large Church of Humanity Repentant contingent. The common denominator being an abhorrence towards using violence and the desire for Berkmann III’s independence. Seeing the Empire as tainted with war and violence, they oppose the Reunification movement while also denouncing violent acts against the Empire. The Peace House’s members have earned the respect of the average New Antiochian with their pragmatic methods and charitable works. Champions for independence and the common parishioner's right to Berkmann’s natural resources, the Peace House has been the loudest voice against the Trilliant Ring buying local water supplies. They also hold frequent peaceful protests and sit-ins at notable imperial locations, such as the Berkmann Hippodrome. The Peace House was originally founded by the Champions of Peace. This group - while it has now fractured into several competing ideologies - came from a Church of Humanity Repentant sect and have retained a loose affiliation with the Church. The organization was Majorist in nature and considered Charity, Temperance, and Integrity to be essential to a life well-lived. They held a core belief that self-control and upholding one’s personal code of honor was critical - especially through the taking of oaths, including an oath of non-violence. The Champion’s heritage can still be seen in the Peace House, through their rites of oath-taking, shield shaped murals, and steely religious iconography. Other Locations in the Diocese * Crown Parish: One of the larger and wealthiest Particularist parishes, the locals of this neighbourhood stay inside a gated community. * Geneva House: A community center that openly displays PIB propaganda and is suspected of sheltering fugitives. * Kibo Square: A parish of Hope Devotionists that often clash with their neighbours over religion and has been the location of large protests. * Ogasutin’s: A walk-in clinic near Peace House which provides cheap treatment to all, relying on donations from the wealthy to operate. * The Pulpit: A meeting house known for its hosting of pro-Imperials and Reunifiers. It is closely associated with the Preachers organisation. The Arches From the Arches you can easily see the sky, framed by its majestic architecture and the transparent ceiling above. Here you can find decently sized homes for well off freemen and lesser nobles. Trilliant influence is readily apparent, with gold detailing and stylish spaces across the level that diverges significantly from the dark, rocky architecture of other levels of New Antioch. The Arches also hosts the city’s greatest market, known as The Cloisters, and a myriad of entertainment venues. The level’s relative openness to outsiders and the rule of law has led to the establishment of more Imperial facilities such as the Crux legal offices. The Arches earns its name from the ornate bridges that cross the canyon at this level. Trilliant designed architecture provides not only majestic looking arches, but easily navigable paths to key locales on either side of New Antioch. Spaces between the walls of the canyon permit the passage of grav taxis or the grav trains coming from Santiago Station, allowing for easy public transit throughout the canyon. Grav Taxi Landings Grav taxis while not the only form of transportation are the most prolific in the Arches. They often transport individuals looking to get quickly to and from Port Surat. Taxis services take fares from balconies along the Spaceport, landing on one of several small pads built into the ceiling of the Arches. These landing pads allow registered taxis to lower their clients into docking bays built into the top of the city. These bays allow individuals to quickly (and discreetly) enter or exit New Antioch. For those who cannot or do not want to pay for a personal grav taxi, a regular line of the grav train travels to and from Port Surat. This line connects to the smaller rail spurs, which run through the Arches and connect down into Santiago Station in the Diocese. The Cloisters Suspended over the canyon gap, the Cloisters is designed to be an impressive display of architectural finesse, and serves as a major shopping center for the city’s residents. Stores and services are located in and around its artificial gardens and scenic vistas, arranged in a wide circle. The businesses here are operated both by locals and entrepreneuring nobles. There is a shop to satisfy almost any want a lesser noble or freeman could think of, provided it is a want for something of good quality. Trilliant does not operate any stores in the market, as the city lacks a sufficient noble population to justify it. Prices in The Cloisters are high and thus many of the worse off of New Antioch cannot hope to afford the goods and services offered there. It was originally built to serve a dual function, improving the ability to provide for the needs of Nobles in the city and to test certain aspects of design before building many of the larger buildings of the Spires. From the outside it seems like an almost spherical building, seemingly suspended by the many bridges entering it. The design of it is supposed to imitate the appearance of carved marble structures. A few grav engines in fact reinforce the structural support it has from the attached bridges and the lightweight materials it is built out of ensure that, should the grav engines fail, it will not lose structural integrity immediately. Within the Cloisters is a central garden reserve that mimics the native environment of the more pleasant core worlds. Architecture on the inside follows a similarly marble-like appearance with the ceiling being ornately vaulted throughout. Other Locations in the Arches * The Estrade: A stylish bathhouse only open to high-paying customers. Suspected of being a front for criminal activity. * Flagrant Fashion: A boutique shop located in the Cloisters. It sells upscale Berkmann clothing. * Mortigan’s Auction: An animal auction known for its quick witted auctioneer, Mohammed Mortigan. They auction off livestock but racing beetle auctions are their main business. * St. Maria’s: A classy bordello tucked away from sight, known for its augmented enforcers. * Terra’s Delight: An exclusive hydroponics farm that grows high quality produce and keeps core world livestock, only for high paying customers. The Spires Half within the canyon, half reaching upwards out of it, the Spires hold many important structures for New Antioch including a mixture of noble residences, Trilliant facilities, and Imperial infrastructure. Perhaps the most imposing structures here are the Trilliant Logistics Center and the Crux Empyreal Rechtory Plaza, designed to be visible from most of the city. Many sections of the canyon have been developed into gated communities for nobles where opulent mansions, carefully engineered gardens, and viewing platforms - from which to observe the spectacular storms of Berkmann - have been built. The architecture in the Spires is exaggerated and majestic, yet still in keeping with the style of the upper levels of the city. Shining spires, arches, towering pillars, and incredibly detailed high relief facades litter this level. Amongst the Noble housing there is even a small selection of leisure facilities operated by the Trilliant Ring. To protect the buildings and infrastructure open to the elements, particularly the planet’s ravaging Izanagi and Izanami storms, a system of towering monoliths were built around the outside of the rim of the canyon. This system generates a shield that protects the settlement from the storms and other environmental wear and tear. In addition, this circle of the monoliths surrounds the Trilliant Logistics Center. This ensures that the facility can keep running, even in the midst of ion storms - known to rage for days on end. Trilliant Logistics Centre (Catalogue Symphonic) The only major structure built completely outside of the Canyon, the Trilliant shipping and logistics facility (Catalogue Symphonic), is the principal employer of the city. Created by the Trilliant Ring as a sorting and distribution center for all goods heading to the core systems, the facility was established on Berkmann III to make use of local labor. Thus, the people of New Antioch are essential to the Catalogue's operations. Monolith Control Tower Several monoliths have been built across the surface, surrounding the Trilliant Logistics Center and the Hippodrome. These are controlled from a central tower, Aspect Monolith, which is built into the side of the Trilliant Logistics Center. This tower coordinates and distributes power to the monolith grid, using weather defense technology originally engineered for Marquise’s Tourmaline Towers. This system serves as a shield and detection array, providing advance notice and protection against the powerful Izanagi and Izanami storms that occasionally rage across the surface of Berkmann III. While most of the harm from these storms is to exposed pedestrians and electronic systems, the monolith array is designed to keep the city - and especially the Trilliant Logistics Center - fully functional during the storms, which can sometimes last for days. Empyreal Rechtory Plaza Known as the Empyreal Rechtory Plaza, this facility serves as the dispatch and base of operations for all House Crux and law enforcement activities on Berkmann III. Equipped with the latest in advanced Trilliant technology, customized to House Crux’s exacting specifications, the plaza is a wonder of modern law-enforcement infrastructure. Additionally the Imperial Reacclimation Force, which patrols the deserts and canyons of the planet for synthetic hideouts, operates out of these premises. This ornate structure straddles the canyon gap of New Antioch and is visible throughout the city. At either side of the canyon are tall structures with domed roofs and apses along its walls. In the center is an even larger structure with a singular domed roof and several towers. At their bases is both a long path across the canyon and series of columns suspending a linking hall above the plaza that connects one side to the centre to the other. Along the roofs of the linking hall are landing pads of various sizes. Flying buttresses cover the edges of the plaza and are designed to reinforce the structure against hostile action. Originally seen as a backwater assignment by members of House Crux, being stationed at Empyreal Rechtory Plaza was often promoted by the department as an exciting new opportunity. However, most officers rejected these claims and considered being stationed on Berkmann as a fool’s errand. Grand statements were made about the technology being implemented and capabilities of a Trilliant commissioned facility. However, most assumed that when the planet’s synthetic workforce was decommissioned that plans would fall through. Now that the facility has been completed, many Crux have become jealous of those stationed on the planet. Access to a full suite holo-detection matrix, Trilliant Liberator Speeders, and other “toys” installed by the Trilliant Ring, a commission on Berkmann III is now seen as a luxurious assignment. Crux officers stationed in the facility lovingly call it “Behrgrot” roughly translating to “the Bear Cave.” Berkmann Hippodrome The Berkmann Hippodrome extends out from the Canyon farther than any other building. It is specifically designed to be a gaudy display of Imperial power. Each year, fairgrounds are cleaned, pavilions are setup, and a large event is sponsored by House Crux, the High Church, and the Trilliant Ring. These public displays are aimed at impressing the locals and encouraging locals to rejoin the Empire. In addition to providing copious amounts of Imperial food for the locals, this venue is used to host a series of events prior to the opening of the Berkmann Classic. This includes customized Grav Chariots which are hitched to Traveler Beetles and raced around the fairgrounds. While these events have met with mixed success with the locals, they do attract some Imperial tourism. Many of those impressed with the event and upper levels of New Antioch have invested in Trilliant’s future real estate developments of the city or even commissioned a new family estate to be built by Trilliant in the area. Other Locations in the Spires * Chateau Herzog Kieller: An influential Crux’s 40-bedroom townhouse estate, taking up a decent portion of the noble inhabited part of the Spires and expanded onto the plateau. Complete with gardens, landing pads, and a direct view of the Hippodrome. * Golden Porte: A place where you can get a custom made Grav Chariot or have yours repaired. * New Antioch Public Lifts: The ornate grav lift station connects to the city’s grav lifts and the Arches below. This lift allows non-nobles to reach the surface above New Antioch, as well as the Hippodrome. * Raptor’s Revenge: A bar exclusively for nobles, decorated with local hunting trophies and serving a variety of core world drinks. * Storm Gardens: A noble gated community that contains several noble homes and has been said to have the best views of the ion storms in the city. Culture The culture on Berkmann III is in a stage of transition. The anarchic populace has produced a myriad of eccentric individuals and unique community cultures. The recent influx of offworld influences has only added to this chaotic mix. While originally isolated from one another, these cultures have come to a head in New Antioch - making it an exciting place to be. Some of the more peculiar eccentricity of the city’s culture have been influenced by functional and fashionable clothing, the low level of water availability and fungiculture, and the dangerous local climate. Clothing Clothing styles in New Antioch are an eclectic mix of functional survival gear, cool and breathable colors, meaningful religious garb, and Trilliant-infused fashion. While most forms of clothing were designed out of the necessities of the harsh climate, they have evolved into a distinctive flavor of local fashion. Berk1.png Berk2.png Berk3.png Berk4.png Berk5.png Berk6.png Berk7.png Berk8.png Berk9.png Bright colors, including white, brown, and tan are not only fashionable, but also reflect the harsh Berkmann sunlight. While it may seem counter-intuitive, full-body clothing tends to be desirable. As such, ponchos, scarves, neck protectors, and wide-brimmed hats are considered very fashionable and useful. Residents have found inventive ways to wear light and breathable clothing which covers much of the skin from sun exposure. Many animals leathers, such as those from the Berkmann Leatherback, are used to make thick but lightly colored clothing. While heavy to wear, they protect the wearer from whipping dust, sand, and debris from the planet’s Izanagi storms and blowing wind. Cloaks are exceptionally common for those who venture the mesas above the canyon surface. They can be closed for protection from the elements, or opened to provide more heat distribution. They also provide flowing movement which makes it easier when riding Traveler Beetles or navigating the rocky canyons around New Antioch. These leathers are also used for the heavy-duty work gear needed for in Trilliant Ring’s myriad construction projects, including gloves, overalls, and graded boots. Common fashion in New Antioch involves bunching up clothing to form tight closures on the legs and wrists. Most residents wear loose clothing which provides a wide range of movement that facilitates climbing, but contrast the design with tight closings on legs and wrists. While this makes the clothing less breathable, it also keeps loose dust and sand from blowing into clothing. For the same reason, tall boots which clasp around the shin are used to keep out dust and protect from small nipping creatures like pseudoscorpions or Rovgara. Religion has also had a major impact on fashion in New Antioch. Form and religious symbology varies immensely between the different denominations in the city, but most styles of clothing favor red, gold, and black colours. These are less practical for the heat outside, but the darker shades stand out from the dull browns at public gatherings and air-conditioned community halls. The anarchic nature of the planet - specifically the presence of pirates, revolutionaries, and other ne’er do wells in the wastes - have had an influence on fashion as well. Most travelers tend to broadcast the fact that they are armed and capable of defending themselves. This makes bandoliers, hip holsters, and other accoutrements for ballistic weaponry “in-vogue.” More-so than the core worlds, openly brandishing firearms in public on Berkmann III is seen as normal and acceptable. Undoubtedly, the Trilliant Ring’s presence on the planet has impacted fashion culture in a big way. The traditional implementation of clothing has been upended by high-paying individuals who can afford personal shields with air-conditioning, burn resistant or Glamour skin enhancement, and other bionic or technological enhancement which eschews the need for practicality. Exotic red cocktail dresses, significant regions of exposed skin, multi-layered business suits, and flowing robes have all had their mark on the planet’s fashion. However, some staff of the Trilliant Ring have also tried to blend and integrate local fashions into their designs. New lines of clothing with a “Regal” theme have become popular. These clothes tend to adapt the bright and ornate colours of red, gold, and black from local religious clothing, and implement short cloaks or petticoats for fashionable rather than functional purposes. Bandoliers have been replaced with buckled leathers - though some still keep laser pistols on their person for protection - while bunched and tight closed clothing has been replaced with ruffled silks, stiff cuffs with frills, and ornate pauldrons. Cuisine Most, including Trilliant functionaries, rely on locally produced food. Cured meats, fungi, or microgreens are common ingredients in New Antioch cuisine. Common meals include: * Mushroom Broth - Most families add their own homegrown mushrooms to add flavour to their broth. Very little water is used in the broth and it has a very intense flavour. Many offworlders have likened it to a spicy stew. * Fried Lizard and Salad - The fried lizard is flavoured with spice or mushroom paste and served with a helping of microgreens to make it more nutritious. * Omelette - While it sounds simple enough New Antiochians fill their omelettes (made with lizard eggs) with often elaborate fillings. Omelettes are also prepared to savory or sweet tastes. The richer members of New Antioch tend to eat an offworlder diet. Nobles often enjoy imported foodstuffs or locally grown core world produce from hydroponics farms in the upper levels of the city. The expense of purchasing from the exclusive farm though has prevented all but the affluent from enjoying the offworlders’ diet. Imported foodstuffs from the core worlds or occasionally an offworlder meal made with local ingredients are the staple of the Nobles and richest freemen. Sport Racing, in a variety of forms, is an extremely popular pastime on Berkmann III. The planet's large swaths of open spaces, with occasional obstacles in the form of great sloping hills and expansive canyons, make for exceptional race tracks. Homemade grav cars are a popular choice for local enthusiasts who have the means to purchase or otherwise acquire parts. Informal races on improvised tracks are common throughout the year. The Classic The most popular race on Berkmann is “The Classic,” an annual long-distance race which is held during the more temperate months and coincides with a local religious festival. Contestants ride on the backs of Traveler Beetles using specially-designed harnesses and journey through several settlements over the course of 8-13 planetary days. The race always begins and ends in New Antioch, but the winding path it follows through the desert changes each year. As Traveler Beetles are capable of limited flight, the path typically features a few canyon jumps, which are widely considered to be both the most exciting and the most dangerous sections of the race. In addition to obstacles designed to be part of the race path, drivers often face natural complications as well in the form of sandstorms and intense heat lightning. With the increased corporate presence on Berkmann in recent years, Classic racers have begun to accept sponsorships in order to purchase upgraded equipment and Traveler Beetles bred from prior winners. As such, Traveler Beetle breeding has become an especially lucrative pursuit, and Classic beetles can be seen with the names of their corporate sponsors painted on the sides of their shells. As increased funds are channeled into the race by entities like the High Church of Messiah-as-Emperox and the Trilliant Ring, some racers have begun to experiment with additional modifications to their gear and to their beetles. There has been some disagreement among the Berkmann racing community as to whether such modifications should be allowed, as they will clearly provide an advantage to those racers who are able to afford them by accepting sponsorships from outsiders. Crime While many residents of New Antioch have slipped through the cracks - especially those living in the Feverings - there is little compulsion towards theft. Large communal social nets exist for members of a parish or religious community, with members often pooling and sharing resources. Therefore, most crimes on the planet are caused by tensions between the enforcement of Imperial law and the lifestyles of the locals. The concept of crime used to be relatively foreign to the residents of Berkmann III and New Antioch. As an anarchic society, the only forms of communal punishment were exiling members of a parish, or cutting them off from the pool of communal resources. This was done for a variety of reasons: refusing to contribute to the community; breaking trust, or in the worst cases when one member of the parish harmed or killed another. With Imperial law increasingly enforced on the planet, residents have been hesitant to adapt to a more regulated code of conduct, which many see as oppressive. With the low number of Crux officers and their inability to enforce the law ubiquitously, residents consider these laws to be more like guidelines for interacting with Imperial officials. However, the density of residents in New Antioch and the presence of outsiders have brought their own sources of crime - as well as the need for enforcement. Robbery and Rustlers Outside of the protection of the city, a number of ranchers and drovers have begun to raise and sell animals to New Antioch. While this has become a lucrative source of income and resources for those ranchers, it has also become a prime opportunity for thieves and ne’er do wells. Armed bands of rustlers use the empty mesas and wastes of Berkmann III as a hideout away from the reach of law enforcement. They also prey on ranchers and drovers outside the protection of New Antioch, as well as smaller parishes and travelers to and from the city. Rustling has always been an issue for the residents of Berkmann III. Even before the presence of the Imperials. The lack of law enforcement on the planet made it a prime target for pirates, thieves, and even groups of shunned locals who wished to prey on the the smaller parishes. This has made it common practice for locals to openly carry firearms - even in cities - broadcasting their ability to fight back against criminals. House Crux sends it Outriders into the countryside to crack down on rustlers. A number of high-profile arrests and shootouts have raised the profile of Crux’s task force, and significantly improved their relationship with the locals. However, there is far too much space to patrol and far too few officers to keep it safe, meaning that rustling remains a continued trouble for those living outside the city limits. Within the city there are several well known areas where rustlers and thieves can find buyers for their wares. In the lower parts of the city, far from Imperial law enforcement, few residents know or care where supplies come from. Many warehouses and farmers will have little difficulty mixing illicit food with their own goods and redistributing stolen goods to turn a profit. Religious Sentry Organisations Almost every reasonably sized parish in the Diocese has some form of defence or self-policing through groups of sentries, dubbed Religious Sentry Organisations (RSO) by House Crux. These organisations are religious security forces which aim to protect a specific parish from oppression and convert others to their cause. However, in reality they act more like thugs and gangs. They often participate in - or even encourage - violent protests and exacerbate tensions between rival parishes. While they have similarities to street gangs like those elsewhere in the sector, they are often indirectly controlled by their community and held accountable to their community’s concerns and desires. This doesn’t stop them from engaging in violence or what would be considered criminal activity, but their actions must be justifiable, if only to their fellow community members. Members of these RSOs have sometimes been shunned or disowned by their fellow parishioners when their actions go too far. The first of these organizations was introduced to New Antioch roughly two decades ago. The now defunct Parish of Virtuous Freedom had come to Old Antioch and brought with them community sentries tasked with fighting off pirates and rustlers. Without the threat of rustlers, these sentries instead attended protests and public events, most notably protests against High Church integration and conversion efforts. Initially these protests took the form of simple heckling and interruption, but quickly grew more rowdy and violent. Over time this evolved into taking pot-shots at High Church staff who attempted to enter the parish’s grounds. Over time, religious tensions in the city grew and conflicts between parishes exacerbated, leading other parishes to establish their own sentry organizations. Today, most residents view their parish’s sentry organisation as essential to their safety in the city. House Crux views these groups as a severe obstacle to the enforcement of Imperial law, but due to their integrated nature with their communities they are a complex issue to deal with. Those who join an RSO tend to be zealous or radical individuals, or those who have been affected by religious conflict firsthand. RSOs tend to travel in large groups, bearing markings or insignia that reflects their parish’s tenets. When peaceful, they engage in canvassing of neighbourhoods with the aim to convert others, protesting against things they find objectionable, or even engaging in charitable works in their community. However, these organizations are quick to show their fangs in the face of Imperial enforcers, rival proselytizing, or heated protest - and they often come into conflict with one another. Members of RSOs make ready recruits for the People for an Independent Berkmann III (PIB), who see these organizations' zealotry and radicalism as useful traits for fighting against encroaching Imperial influence. Some groups have active PIB recruiters looking for new members to join their cause, while others have members sympathetic to the plight of Berkmann's independence. RSO recruits in the PIB tend to advocate for direct action against Imperial influence and institutions. The Hopefuls A particularly aggressive and successful RSO that is based in Kibo Square, a parish of Hope Devotionists. The Hopefuls are known to deliberately seek out those who are shunned or whom have fallen through the cracks to recruit more members. Conversion is highly important to this group, as such they have grown dramatically in size. Their religious beliefs consider the idea of surrender a heresy. Therefore, when they come into conflict with others it often ends violently. They are recognizable by their open display of dove tattoos, particularly on their faces, and dove symbols on clothing. The Knights Originating from Crown Parish, a large gated community of wealthy Particularists. Propriety, Justice, and Fortitude are the virtues that concern the Knights. They consider their primary goal the defence of their parishioners and the honour of their community. While they are not particularly aggressive they often react violently to small actions such as attempting to canvass their parish. They also tend to be comparatively well armed compared to other RSOs. They are recognizable by their elaborate clothing, colourful armour and by their use of decorated masks. The Preachers Unlike other RSOs the Preachers act as sentries for pro-Imperial and Reunifier parishes rather than a single community. Their members, while not officially endorsed, are adherents to the High Church and support their work in the Diocese. They are the largest RSO in terms of membership and can turn out in significant force. They show respect to Imperial officials and seek out opportunities to assist Crux Outriders even when they’re not wanted. Seeking out anti-Imperials is their primary goal and one that comes with dangerous complications. They are recognizable by their wearing of black clothing and display of ornate tau crosses on clothing or as tattoos.Category:Trilliant Ring Locations Category:The High Church of Messiah-as-Emperox Category:Helesco Category:Cities